News Main Menu

Penn State Behrend Speaker Series to feature Bill Nye

January 6, 2014

Penn State Behrend Speaker Series to feature Bill Nye

Bill Nye has comedy down to a science.

Nye, who is best known for his stint as host of the television program “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” will discuss his career and a variety of other topics at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Nye’s talk, part of the college’s Speaker Series, begins at 7:30 p.m. in Junker Center. Admission is free and open to the public.

Nye always had an appreciation for the science of how things work. In high school, he spent hours taking apart his bicycle just to figure out exactly how it operated. This interest led Nye to Cornell University and a degree in mechanical engineering.

Science was just one of his passions, however.

“My family is funny,” said Nye. “I mean funny in the sense that we make people laugh, not just funny looking.”

Upon graduation, Nye pursued both his interests and developed dual careers as an engineer by day and a stand-up comic by night. He eventually transitioned into television, and thus, “Bill Nye the Science Guy” was born.

In its five-plus year run, the show won 28 Emmy awards. It also continues to be used for education purposes in schools across the country. Nye has hosted a number of other shows since and even appeared as a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars” this fall.

Nye’s talk at Penn State Behrend is sponsored by the campus' Student Activity Fee, the Division of Student Affairs and the Harriet Behrend Ninow Memorial Lecture Series Fund. For additional information, contact the Office of Student Activities at 814-898-6171.